San Francisco 49ers Frank Gore (21) walks off the field after the game.The San Francisco 49ers host the Baltimore Ravens in a NFL game at Monster Park in San Francisco, CA on 9/30/07. The Ravens won 9-7.Photo by Michael Maloney / San Francisco Chronicle***code replacement from rosterRan on: 10-11-2007Ashley Lelie does not have a reception this season.Ran on: 10-11-2007ALSO Ran on: 10-23-2007Running back Frank Gore had 88 yards rushing against the Giants on Sunday, but for the year, his numbers are well below where he was at this time last season.ALSO Ran on: 11-03-2007Frank Gore says he will play against the Falcons but coach Mike Nolan isn't that confident.Ran on: 11-03-2007Ran on: 11-03-2007 San Francisco 49ers Frank Gore (21) walks off the field after the game. The San Francisco 49ers host the Baltimore Ravens in a NFL game at Monster Park in San Francisco, CA on 9/30/07. The Ravens won 9-7. Photo by Michael Maloney / San Francisco Chronicle ***code replacement from roster

Photo: Michael Maloney, SFC

San Francisco 49ers Frank Gore (21) walks off the field after the...

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San Francisco 49ers Frank Gore (21) walks off the field after the game.
The San Francisco 49ers host the Baltimore Ravens in a NFL game at Monster Park in San Francisco, CA on 9/30/07. The Ravens won 9-7.
Photo by Michael Maloney / San Francisco Chronicle
***code replacement from roster
Ran on: 10-11-2007
Ashley Lelie does not have a reception this season.
Ran on: 10-11-2007 MANDATORY CREDIT FOR PHOTOG AND SF CHRONICLE/NO SALES-MAGS OUT

Photo: Michael Maloney

San Francisco 49ers Frank Gore (21) walks off the field after the...

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San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Nolan pleads with San Francisco 49ers Marques Douglas (#94) in the 2nd quarter.
The Pittsburgh Steelers host the San Francisco 49ers at Heinz Field on Sunday, 9/23/07 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers won 37-16.
Photo by Michael Maloney / San Francisco Chronicle
***roster/code replacement

Photo: Michael Maloney

San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Nolan pleads with San Francisco...

As the 49ers' record continues to plummet after four consecutive losses, questions about coaching and trust - specifically, the offensive play-calling - are building.

On Sunday, it was running back Frank Gore wondering aloud whether his teammates trust the play-calling of first-year offensive coordinator Jim Hostler.

"Norv Turner, he's been doing it for a while," said Gore, reminiscing about the good ol' days in 2006 when he averaged 106 rushing yards per game. "Whenever he said something, we wanted to do it. Now I feel that a lot of people, when coach Hoss calls something, it gets in the back of their heads, 'Is he calling the right play?' "

A day later, coach Mike Nolan tried to downplay the deeper meaning of Gore's concerns in the wake of a mistake-filled 33-15 road loss to the New York Giants.

"If we were winning games, I don't believe that comment would necessarily be made," Nolan said Monday at his news conference. "I also know that Frank, as well as many other players, (is) frustrated by the production, or lack of, in the offense.

"By no means would I have used that comment after yesterday's game. I thought there was every effort made ... and, again, I think it was an act of frustration."

On second thought, Gore said Monday that his disappointment in the outcome, which was directly affected by an abundance of penalties (13 for 82 yards, three of which nullified runs by Gore) and the four turnovers, might have caused him to vent out of turn.

"After the game, I was kind of frustrated," said Gore, who had his best rushing performance this season, 88 yards. "We had a lot of high expectations coming into this year, and we haven't shown it. It's been tough, to just keep losing."

Nolan had to concede that the considerable play-calling and game-planning experience Turner brought into his role as the 49ers' offensive coordinator last season might have inspired players differently.

"There is no question that certain people carry credibility that others (have) not," Nolan said. "But I've also been in that other spot. I've been in both spots, whether it's experience or lack of."

Does Gore have a point? Does Nolan sense a lack of trust in the scheme or the play-calling?

"No. What I've seen is, when things aren't going well, as we've already talked about offensively the first five weeks, there is a confidence factor that goes with that," Nolan said. "And some people look within themselves to make a difference. And some would like to look outside.

"All of us would like to look around. But I believe when (Gore) says that, I believe they all are looking for answers. Some people are pointing fingers and some people are trying to do it internally by themselves. And some people are doing both. But I believe that his comment was more an act of frustration than anything else."

A pessimist might deduct that the 49ers (2-4) are coming apart at the seams. Despite the extra week of rest and preparation because of the bye, the two interceptions, the two lost fumbles - all coming from quarterback Trent Dilfer - led to 24 Giants points. Six sacks also hurt the cause.

Neither Dilfer nor quarterback Alex Smith - who appears ready to go for Sunday's game against the Saints at Candlestick - would agree with Gore's opinion of Hostler's credibility. Or lack thereof.

For example: The deep passes directed toward little-used vertical threat Ashley Lelie and newly healthy tight end Vernon Davis were a noticeable departure from the conservative approach the 49ers took before the bye week.

At least that's how Dilfer sees it.

"I think yesterday that guys were excited that Hostler was dialing them up," said Dilfer, citing the opening play of the third quarter when Davis was sent deep on a hot read. Dilfer didn't connect with Davis over the middle.

Hostler came back on the next play with another long ball, which resulted in a 47-yard completion to Lelie.

The lack of execution offensively is not Hostler's fault, Dilfer emphasized. If anything, he said, blame him - the experienced quarterback - for making so many fundamental mistakes in his timing, reads and drops.

"I totally disagree that there is a lack of trust in Hoss," said Dilfer, who has started two games in place of Smith (separated right shoulder). "I would partly agree that there is probably a lack of trust in one another. And that happens every single time (when) you go on a bad skid or you're not playing well offensively."

As for Hostler and his relative lack of experience (six games total) as a coordinator, Dilfer - using his 14 years in the NFL to bolster his case - strongly defended the coach and the job he's doing.

"I think it would be very unfair if this (debate) went because Norv is gone. I promise you that Jim Hostler is as prepared, is as smart, as diligent, as any offensive coordinator I've been around," Dilfer said. "Unfortunately for him, he doesn't have the credibility to go through a failure period. ... And that is very unfair.

"You can choose what you want to do, but he is a superstar football coach."

Smith believes the team's run of futility can affect players' trust in one another.

"When you're on a four-game losing streak, that can happen, naturally. I don't think it has to do with the play-calling," Smith said. "You're gonna have that with each other, a little bit, until you break out of that funk."

Briefly: Smith's pain-free warm-up throws before Sunday's game were a confidence-builder for the 49ers' starter, but time also seems to be. Smith said Monday he feels more confident this week than last that he could sustain a hit on his shoulder and come out of it OK. He'll test his reflexes today by throwing against a simulated pass rush. ... Gore turned his right ankle in Sunday's game but said Monday he's fine and will have no problem playing against the Saints. ... The 49ers on Monday re-signed linebacker Hannibal Navies, who was waived late last week, and released fullback Zak Keasey, whom they signed late last week.

Merely frustration?

Frank Gore said of the offensive coordinator on Sunday, "Coach (Hostler), when he calls a play, in the back of your head you think, 'Is it the right play?' " On Monday, Mike Nolan called Gore's comments an act of frustration, and Trent Dilfer called Hostler a "superstar football coach." If Gore is frustrated, it could be because he's not getting as many touches and the team's not scoring as many points as last year: